Zoom in on Net Zero - with E.ON's Anthony Ainsworth

Founded over two decades ago, E.ON has grown to become one of the world's largest energy utilities. And, like many firms in the energy sector, it has in recent years been embarking on a major transformation of its business in preparation for a net zero future.

In 2016 the company divested its traditional fossil fuel generation business - Uniper - to focus fully on its energy networks, renewables and retail businesses, before two years later snapping up renewable energy utility Innogy. The company as a whole now boasts some 50 million customers across its retail and commercial arm, and is one of Europe's largest power and gas network providers. And in 2019 it became the first of the UK's 'Big Six' power companies to switch all of its British customers to 100 per cent renewable electricity tariffs.

Having joined E.ON just under a decade ago, Anthony Ainsworth - chief operating officer for the company's industrial and commercial energy division - has experienced first hand the firm's shift away from heritage fossil fuel assets to a company with net zero firmly within its sights.

For our latest Zoom in on Net Zero interview, Ainsworth last month joined BusinessGreen editor in chief James Murray to chat about E.ON's journey over the past decade, what drives his passion for a greener future, and what the next decade and beyond holds for the energy giant. The interview can be watched in full above.

This video was sponsored by E.ON UK.